is your
house
making
you sick?
10 quick tips to bringing wellness
inside our four walls.

I

t’s a surprising realisation for many
people that we spend over 90 percent
of our time indoors. And yet we pay
little attention to how our interiors are
directly affecting our health.
When we are outside nature provides the
perfect balance for our wellbeing. Inside
however our man-made interiors have in
many cases literally engineered wellness
out of the space within our four walls.
While increasingly we are creating interior
spaces that are good for the environment,
little attention has been given to how these
same interiors are affecting human health.
Nigel Hobbs, founder of Welnis Labs –
an interior consultancy and fitout company
that specialises in bringing wellness into
the spaces we inhabit – has identified
10 key wellness protocols that can make
significant improvements to our health
and wellbeing.

#1 Ergonomics

We all need to stop sitting so much. Using
a stand up desk at work or home can
reduce the significant health implications
of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
Just standing can reduce the chances of
sedentary illnesses such as diabetes and
heart disease significantly.

#2 Water purification

The water we drink and wash in is heavily
treated with chlorine as well as carrying
high levels of other traceable chemicals.
Install a simple under sink alkaline water
purifier to remove 99 percent of toxins and
return the water to its natural structure.
When showering try a Vitamin C infused
showerhead that removes the chlorine
from the water, protecting from dry skin
and chlorine vapour.
36 slim magazine WINTEr 2015

#3 Light

Replace your decades-old light bulb
technology with the latest circadian rhythm
lights that adapt their colour temperature
during the day to reflect the changing light
outside. Try blue light in the morning to
kick start your brain for the day ahead –
warm oranges and reds in the evening to
prepare the brain for sleep.

#4 Acoustics

Be aware of the noise around you while
working and at home. High levels of noise
can lead to lower productivity, stress and,
if at night, poor sleep. New contemporary
designed acoustic panels that mimic art
can reduce noise pollution significantly and
keep you more relaxed and productive.

#5 Air quality

The air we breathe inside is often more
polluted than the air outside, especially in
offices. Wall-mounted UV air purifiers have
been proven to reduce airborne bacteria by
over 70 percent, meaning you breathe easy
and stay healthy.

#6 Fatigue management

Understand your sleep patterns better
and you will wake up refreshed. Wearable
devices such as Jawbone and Fitbit track
your sleep cycles and wake you at the
optimal time in the morning when you are
in your lightest sleep cycle. Or try dawn
simulation alarm clocks that simulate the
sun rising 30 minutes before the alarm
sounds.

#7 Nutrition

Instead of opting for that afternoon
caffeine or junk food pick-me-up, go for
a healthy alternative. Keeping healthy

snacks always at hand such as nuts and
fruit makes it much easier to avoid those
cravings and keeps your moods and ability
to concentrate far more balanced.

#8 Keep moving

The medically recommended 10,000 steps
a day can do wonders for your health.
When at work take time every hour to walk
around the office or head outside for a
walking meeting, and take the stairs instead
of an elevator whenever possible.

#9 Stress reduction

Meditate! Mindfulness, as it is also known,
is a proven way to reduce stress, feel
happier and improve productivity. Find a
quiet corner at work or home, close your
eyes and just focus on your breathing for
10 or 20 minutes. The positive effects on
your wellbeing are scientifically proven
and are becoming increasingly popular in
the workplace as a way to beat the effects of
stressful workloads.

#10 Environmental balance

This may sound obvious but clean surfaces
reduce your chances of being exposed to
bacteria and illness. The average person
touches 132 items per day. Microbe Shield
Treatment is a non toxic water based
treatment that can protect surfaces that
you are in regular contact with for up to
30 days, which significantly reduces the
risk of microbe cross-contamination and
therefore ensures a healthier you.
Welnis is a specialised wellness consultancy firm
focused on interiors and the built environment to
ensure that wellness elements and protocols are at the
forefront of design and construction to enhance human
health and wellbeing. To learn more go to welnis.com.au
or call 1300 302 008.